At the end of the year, the Islands’ Sounder takes a look at the biggest headlines of the past 12 months. We choose the top 10 from our most read online stories as well as events we feel impacted our communities.
No. 1 Murder-suicide on Lopez Island
Two Minnesota men were found dead as a result of a murder-suicide on a Lopez beach on Aug. 25. A suicide note was found, stating both of the deceased had visited Lopez Island years ago with their dog and loved the island.
After the bodies were identified as Aric Babbitt, 40, and his husband Matthew Deyo, 36, of Minnesota, news reports revealed an even darker story.
The couple was allegedly involved in the sexual abuse of a 16-year-old-boy in St. Paul, Minnesota. Two other victims that were underage eventually claimed that they were also abused by the couple.
According to the Twin Cities Pioneer Press, Babbitt was on paid leave from his teaching position at Lincoln Center Elementary in South St. Paul, Minn., and the school district was conducting its own an investigation into alleged sexual activity with a minor. The case is now considered closed.
No. 2 Teacher’s conviction thrown out after deputy accused of misconduct
Judge Donald Eaton granted former Orcas High School teacher Gerald Grellet-Tinner a new trial after a lead investigator on the case was accused of misconduct. The defendant was released from custody on Sept. 20 after Judge Eaton announced his ruling. The prosecutor’s office filed an appeal on the ruling and a decision is expected in six months.
“Right now, he has a conviction with an order for a new trial. If the order is reversed then his conviction stands,” said San Juan County Prosecutor Randy Gaylord.
If the court of appeals upholds Judge Eaton’s ruling, Gaylord says the prosecutor’s office will move forward with a new trial.
A jury found 59-year-old Grellet-Tinner guilty of two counts of Sexual Misconduct in the First Degree in late June. He was accused of having a sexual relationship with one of his students, who was also his teaching assistant, in October 2015.
According to the Washington state legislature, a teacher cannot have intercourse with a registered student under the age of 21 if he or she is at least five years older than the student. The student, in this case, was 19 at the time of the sexual relationship.
In late July, the victim told an advocate in the prosecutor’s office that she was having a sexual relationship with the case’s lead detective Stephen Parker. She shortly thereafter recanted, but Gaylord asked the sheriff’s office to conduct an investigation. Sheriff Ron Krebs assigned the inquiry to Detective Lori Sigman from Skagit County. The 50-page report concluded that Sigman could not find evidence of an inappropriate relationship between Parker and the victim, but found some of Parker’s interest in the victim unusual. Parker strongly denied any wrongdoing.
In late September, Parker was put on paid administrative leave after new information about the alleged misconduct came to light. Sigman was asked to continue her investigation; the results of that report have not yet been made public. Parker has since resigned from his position and moved off island.
No. 3 Friday Harbor woman murdered
San Juan Island resident Kevin Patrick Taylor, 53, was charged with two counts of Murder in the Second Degree-Domestic Violence and one count of Malicious Mischief in the First Degree–DV for allegedly bludgeoning his wife to death with the barrel of a rifle in their Friday Harbor home. His trial is set for July 10, 2017.
According to San Juan County Prosecuting Attorney Randy Gaylord, Taylor is being charged with two counts of murder in the second degree because that crime can be committed in two ways: intentionally without premeditation, or during the course of another felony, which in this case is assault.
San Juan County dispatch received a call from someone in a Friday Harbor residence at 1 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 3. It is unknown who made the phone call. A deputy arrived on scene 20 minutes later, and saw a Jeep with its flashers and alarm going off. When the car alarm stopped, he heard music coming from inside the residence. He walked to the deck, where the sliding door was open, and saw Julie Taylor deceased on the floor, with blood pooled around her head. According to the detective’s report, she had severe trauma to her head, and a broken rifle was lying nearby. The barrel was covered in blood. Her husband was sitting in a recliner and allegedly said to the deputy, “I got her.” After he was placed under arrest, and more emergency personnel arrived on the scene, Taylor allegedly told an officer, “She was going to divorce me. I couldn’t let that happen.” The detective also wrote that Taylor said his wife had poisoned him. He was transported to Peace Island Medical Center to be evaluated by emergency room staff. Taylor was medically cleared and booked into the San Juan County Jail. The Washington State Patrol Crime Scene Response Team processed the scene.
According to Gaylord, the Taylors had been married for 25 years.
No. 4 Orcas Island man allegedly a victim of home invasion
After hundreds of police hours and very few leads, the case involving an Orcas man whose home was allegedly invaded by a masked intruder has been labeled inactive.
Josh Mayson, a newly hired Orcas Power and Light Cooperative apprentice lineman, was staying in a vacation rental cabin when a masked, gloved assailant allegedly came into his home around 3:30 a.m. on Feb. 9. He said the man held a gun to his head, threatened to kill him and his daughter and stated that he “had nothing left to live for” and was “not afraid to die.” Two days later, death threats were found written on the OPALCO headquarters building in Eastsound. All employees were immediately sent home and both Orcas Island and Friday Harbor offices were shut down for two days. Mayson resigned from OPALCO shortly after the incidents. A reward fund was set up and received $10,000 from OPALCO and $13,460 in private donations – all of which was returned in October after the case was labeled inactive.
The alleged home invasion spawned changes within the sheriff’s office after deputies didn’t respond in a timely manner. At the time of the 911 call, the dispatcher was advised by a sergeant to not wake up the on-call deputy since the gunman had already left the scene. Officers didn’t talk to Mayson until several hours after the incident. At the time, Krebs said he was “livid” about the oversight and held a town hall meeting on Orcas to answer community questions. He explained that in the past when deputies are not patrolling (usually between the hours of 3 and 6 a.m.), a dispatcher will call a sergeant to determine whether or not a deputy should be paged. Now dispatchers no longer have to ask permission to send out a deputy.
No. 5 Orcas Fire gets through a tough year
It was a hectic year for Orcas Island Fire and Rescue. In April, following an investigation into allegations of misconduct, Fire Chief Mik Preysz resigned. Preysz was placed on leave in mid-March while an independent investigator conducted a review of his leadership. Scott Williams stepped into the position and was officially appointed acting chief in mid-April.
In August, Jim Coffin resigned from the Board of Fire Commissioners sparking a controversial process of replacement. The two remaining members, Barbara Bedell and Wes Heinmiller, chose island newcomer Amanda Montague to fill the position.
Around the same time, when OIFR switched its finances to San Juan County, it was discovered that the department hadn’t been paying Social Security taxes. This discovery resulted in the internal revenue service requesting almost $300,000 worth of back taxes.
Meanwhile, the search for a permanent replacement for former chief Preysz raged on. In November, the applicants had been narrowed down to three, including Acting Chief Williams. On Dec. 14, the board named Williams the new, permanent fire chief.
No. 6 OMF tries to raise $750,000
Island Hospital announced in mid-September that it would not be renewing its contract with the Orcas Medical Clinic. Within a week, the Orcas Medical Foundation announced that it was in talks with the University of Washington’s Neighborhood Clinics about taking over when Island Hospital leaves.
UWNC’s offer came with a stipulation that the foundation must raise $750,000 by Jan. 15. The amount OMF has been tasked with collecting is to cover costs for converting the center’s medical records to UWNC’s digital format and to provide a cushion for a projected year-end deficit. More than $500,000 has been raised by OMF toward its goal. To assist the clinic with the transition, Island Hospital has offered to remain overseeing the clinic until July 1, 2017, when UWNC can take over.
No. 7 Harris-Moore calls Sounder for interview
Colton Harris-Moore had a busy year. In April, the convicted burglar and plane thief known as “the Barefoot Bandit,” called several news organizations in Washington state, pleading for help to cryogenically freeze his terminally-ill mother, Pam Kohler. He raised $2,170 and his goal was $230,000.
Harris-Moore, who called the Sounder from prison, said of his crime spree: “I truly had no idea it affected people as deeply as it did. To me, I thought that surely people know that I am not trying to hurt anybody … the best thing to do is try to salvage that and clear the slate and repay people however I can … I’ll never commit another crime in my life.’
Kohler lost her battle with lung cancer in mid-May.
Moore’s attorney John Henry Browne told CNN in August that his client would be employed with his firm part-time upon his release.
Currently, Harris-Moore is living in a halfway house, and trying to save money for pilot lessons. He started a GoFundMe account in mid-December, attempting to raise money for flight school, however, federal probation officers made him terminate the fundraising because he still owes $125,000 in victim restitution.
No. 8 WSF food vendor uproar
It seemed more like a food war that a food fight when the Washington State Ferries dropped a local food vendor for one based out of Connecticut, last summer. Olympic Cascade Services, out of Bremerton, would no longer sell items on the ferry and Cheesecake Cafe, owned by an islander, would no longer operate at the Anacortes terminal. About 12,000 signatures were gathered to retract the vendor switch at an August Washington State Ferries’ meeting, in hopes to keep money in-state. Washington State Ferries said they have to legally reopen food vendor bids every decade. This time, the company Centerplate was their top choice, but although their headquarters are out of state, local food would be sold and local employees hired. In the end, the turnover was made.
No. 9 Midwife Melinda Milligan retires
For more than almost 40 years, Orcas resident and Certified Nurse Midwife Melinda Milligan has helped usher new islanders into the world. More than 1,000 babies were born on her watch.
Milligan will be retiring from her life-long career on Dec. 31, allowing herself more time to participate in choral and theatrical events, which are passions for her.
“It may sound like a cliche, but it really is a privilege to be with people at their most vulnerable, most brave, at one of the most important moments in a woman’s life: when she is giving birth,” said Melinda. “It’s such a huge moment for a family – to be part of that, it’s wonderful.”
No. 10 Ferries enact 30-minute rule
Shorter lines and easier operations were reasons the 30-minute rule was enacted at the Washington State Ferries last spring. Now, riders have to be past the tollbooth, not just in line, but 30 minutes ahead of departure. Questions arose on how to factor for the extra time: How could you estimate line sizes? How would you know how many toll booths were open? How would you know how many toll booths were open? Islanders voiced concern that the rule was helpful for tourists, but caused trouble for locals who did not want to plan ahead. Locals also complained that ferry staff members were incorrectly tallying riders, leaving people stranded as a ferry sailed with empty spaces.
Although rider capacity fluctuated thanks to reservation no-shows, according to staff, operations on the last Fourth of July were smoother than in previous years.
Honorable mentions
Whale dies from satellite tag
A Canadian necropsy revealed that a Southern resident orca was killed by a fungal infection possibly caused by a satellite tag. According to Fisheries and Oceans Canada, a 20-year-old male killer whale, identified as L95, was found dead near Esperanza Inlet, B.C. on March 30. Five weeks prior to his death, L95 had been satellite tagged by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association.
The necropsy report, by Veterinary Pathologist Dr. Stephen Raverty, concluded “a fungal infection contributed to the animal’s death. There were several factors in this case that predisposed this whale to a fungal infection at the tagging site, including indications that the animal may have had a compromised immune system.”
NOAA ceased its satellite-tracked tagging on Southern resident orcas until further review of the practice.
Woman’s last wish was to find home for dogs
After a terminal cancer diagnosis, Friday Harbor resident Kathleen Zuidema had a dying wish to find a home for her three Aussies. After her search became a viral Facebook sensation, neighbors and longtime islanders Danielle and Thaddeus Cochran stepped up to be the new parents to what Zuidema called the “Aussie Posse.” Zuidema asked that all three, Autumn Moon, 11, Moka Luka, 4, and Finnegan, 4, be adopted into a home with a fenced yard where there is plenty of room to run and play. The ideal person would walk them on a daily basis, cuddle them on the bed and invite them up on the couch like any other family member. Danielle has two dogs already but said in a Q13 Fox news report that she is confident that all the dogs will blend together.
Four months after finding her pack a new home, Zuidema passed away on July 6.
